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“It’s impressive. The first steeping it sweet, with the exact butterscotch/caramel notes Song’s site references. You MUST savor this first steeping as a tea unto itself. It changes dramatically...” Read full tasting note
“I received this tea as a sample. Thank you, Song Tea! Sniffing the dry leaf made me think of Nag Champa incense. It didn’t truly smell like Nag Champa, but made me think of it. The theme with...” Read full tasting note
“Tasted this directly after its 2015 sibling, Formosa Yancha. The 1992 has an incredible dry leaf scent of musky raisins and savoury seaweed, though we didn’t taste much of that in the tea. Redder...” Read full tasting note
This tea is a delicious anachronism. It comes from a yancha cultivar from Wuyishan, Fujian that was brought to Taiwan and eventually made its way to mineral-rich growing area in Shan Lin Xi.
The craftsmanship of this tea was influenced by both Wuyi yancha and Anxi tieguanyin methods. The large single leaves were hand-picked, mid-oxidized for complexity and fruitiness, and then manually rolled. A very deep charcoal roast for caramelization and sweetness, prepared the tea for aging.
We purchased this tea from the original producer. To this day, he still produces the same tea in the same style, and each year, sets aside a portion of the tea for aging in large wood-fired storage urns – making them available only after the tea has reached its second decade of storage.
The result of cultivar, craftsmanship and aging creates a tea of incomparable deliciousness. It has the viscosity, sweetness and complexity of a carefully crafted bourbon cocktail. Notes of butterscotch and caramel come from the caramelized outer layer of the leaves, while apple, plum and cedar notes come from the changes in tea as it ages.
5 grams 150 ml 205° F 1.5 min
It’s best to think of Formosa Dahongpao as two different teas when preparing. Do not rinse this tea. On the first steep, the aged caramelization on these leaves deliver an incredible sweetness to this tea, with distinct butterscotch notes. We usually only give the first steep 30 seconds at most. The second steep slips back into the same preparation methods as our Red Water oolongs. Using higher temperature and steep time produces the riches extraction of the remaining sugars and aromatic compounds in this tea. Later infusions will taste remarkably like Wuyi yancha from Fujian.
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It’s impressive. The first steeping it sweet, with the exact butterscotch/caramel notes Song’s site references. You MUST savor this first steeping as a tea unto itself. It changes dramatically afterward. The 2nd and later steepings have much more of an earthy, coconutty, woody vibe to them. Delicious in their own right. Even at $75 for 2oz., it’s worth it as a special treat to keep on-hand.
Flavors: Butterscotch, Caramel, Coconut, Wood
I received this tea as a sample. Thank you, Song Tea! Sniffing the dry leaf made me think of Nag Champa incense. It didn’t truly smell like Nag Champa, but made me think of it.
The theme with this tea overall is “evocative” – there are no obvious flavors, just haunting notes. It is elegant.
Notes that come to mind are muscovado, cocoa, caramel, again, incense.
It is very warming. At the end of the cup, a pleasurable tang appears.
It was beautiful.
Tasted this directly after its 2015 sibling, Formosa Yancha. The 1992 has an incredible dry leaf scent of musky raisins and savoury seaweed, though we didn’t taste much of that in the tea.
Redder liquor and the taste was slightly sweeter and a lot smoother overall than the younger one. But due to this one being twice the price (coming to about $7 per brewing session), I ended up buying the younger one anyway. Maybe if I keep it for long enough…
Flavors: Raisins, Seaweed
